Monday, May 2, 2011
Sony Online Entertainment: Customer Data Stolen
San Diego-based Sony Online Entertainment, the developer of massively multiplayer online games, has provided details of the intrusion on the firm's systems, saying that hackers may have stolen its customer information. Sony--which shut down its web site today--said that it discovered yesterday that hackers may have stolen information from the firm on April 16th and 17th. Sony said the information included name, address (city, state, zip, country), email address, gender, birthdate, phone number, login name and hashed password of users. The firm also admitted that a database of approximately 12,700 non-US customer credit or debit card numbers and expiration dates, and about 10,700 direct debit records listing bank account numbers of certain customers in Germany, Austria, Netherlands and Spain may have also been obtained by the hackers. The revelation follows last week's hacking of Sony's PlayStation Network and other services. Sony Online Entertainment shut down its online game services on Monday, indicating a security issue; the firm said it has temporarily turned of all of SOE game services, and engaged an outside, recognized security firm to conduct a full and complete investigation into what happened. The firm also said it is taking steps to enhance security and strength of its network infrastructure.